Match book



P 2, 1941- H. T. ROBERTS 2,254,545

MATCH BOOK- Filed Aug. 1. 1938 ]m/mzzr: Ze/z y K504581231 Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATCH BOOK Henry '1. Roberts, Chicago, 111.

Application August 1, 1938, Serial N 0. 222,458

2 Claims.

An object of my invention is to provide a usual type of match book which is modified in a simple and inexpensive manner to increase the appeal of the matches to the ultimate users thereof, such modification thereby acting as a business stimulator, especially from the standpoint of distributors using the match books as an advertising I means.

A further object is to provide a match book with representations normally concealed from view and which can be viewed after certain seals are broken subsequent to the user acquiring the match book whereby match books having the characteristics of my invention are preferable to those of the ordinary type and thus the public acquires them more readily and thereby the advertising usually printed on or in the books is more readily brought to the view of thepublic. Still a further object is to increase the appeal of the match books by including representations either on the matches themselves or within the cover of the book, the cover being sealed or some other means being provided to normally conceal the representations from view so that there is an element of chance as to what the representa= tions are and thereby interest in the match book and opening it to determine what representations or combinations of representations there are in the books is stimulated.

More particularly it is my object to show such representations as "poker hands" either printed on the match splints or somewhere inside the match book, which representations are normally concealed from view so that two persons acquiring the match books can compare their relative hands after breaking the seals and thereby simulate a poker game or some other game depending upon the character of the representations.

Further objects are to provide sealing means for either the cover of the match book or to pro-- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the match book of Figure 1 showing it open and two of the splints removed. Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modification in which a thin paper cover is provided for the match splints instead of sealing the main cover closed relative to the book.

Figure 4 is an enlarged end elevation of Figure 3 in the closed position.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a construction somewhat modified from Figure 2 by having representations inside the cover instead of on the match splints.

Figure 6 is a, perspective view of another modified structure in which the representations are on the inner face of an element which is secured by adhesive or the like to the outer face of the match book cover; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified cover in which a paper sack completely encloses the match splints instead of being over the front and back only thereof as in Figure 3.

On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference character C to indicate generally a cover 5 for my match book and M the match splints therein. The match splints are perforated as at i I to facilitate their detachability from the match book. The cover C has a bottom ill, a front flap l2, a back l3, a top H and a front IS, The front 39 I5 has a tab l6 adapted to be secured against the flap I! by the usual staple I! which extends through the flap I2 and the back l3 and through the match splints for holding the cover 0 and the match splints assembled relative to each 35 other. The front It is perforated at It whereby it may be readily separated from the flap i6 as in Figure 2, after which the flap (shown by dotted lines in this figure) can be removed so that it does not interfere with striking a match on the vusual abrasive treated front face of the flap l2.

The match splints M as shown in Figure 2 are provided with representations I9 such as jacks, kings, spades, diamonds, etc., similar to playing cards so that when the match book is originally acquired, these representations which may simulate poker hands are hidden from view by the cover 0 retained as it is in closed or sealed position by the flap l6 and staple l'l.

After the cover is opened, the poker hands areexposed to view and those held by one person can be compared with those held by another and a game thus played similar to poker so that interest in the matches is stimulated and thereby their distribution stimulated to increase their distribution for advertising purposes.

Instead oi utilizing the cover C itself to cover and conceal the representations ll, cover means G in the form of a sheet of paper may be provided as in Figure 3. The cover consists oi. a front wall 20, top wall 2| and back wall 22.

The lowerendsot the walls 20 and 22 as shown 7 in Figure! may be retained in assembled position by the staple l1 and the front wall llot the cover 0 may have the flap ii of Figure 1 eliminated and be tucked in behind the flap l2 in the usual manner. The cover C may be of relatively thin paper as distinguished from cardboard for the cover 0.

As shown in Figure 5, in order to reduce the cost of manufacture, the printing oi the reprewhich may be secured around its periphery by adhesive to the cover C. Perforations at 2} and a tab at Iacilitate removal of the element 23 so that the representations can be observed.

Normally however the representations are con-1 cealed as long as the element 23 remains in its initially applied position. on the match book. This form of theinvention isreadily appllcable to existing types of match books and so is the form shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 7 I illustrate a paper sa'ck or the like 28 which isplaced over the match splints andsecured in position similar to the cover (3' inFigure 3. The sack 28 in addition to covering the front and back of the match splints as in Figure 4 covers the sides and thus completely encloses the splints. The sack or,,the cover C can be readily torn from position, one corner thereof being illustrated as being so torn in Figure 3.

bottoms, said match splints being detachable above their-secured bases, said cover extending upwardly along the backs of the match splints.

across the upper ends thereof and having a cover flap extending downwardly in front oi the match splints, said cover flap having a marginal free end of reduced width secured by said securing means, for sealing said cover flap in position over' said match splints, and representations on said match splints and concealed from view by said cover flap until it is broken from its marginal free edge and the cover flap, opened, the

portion of said cover extending down the front 01' said bases having abrasive with the abrasive exposed beyond the end of said marginal end of reduced width.

2. In a match book, a cover, aplurality of match splints therein, a staple for securing said match splints therein and means for sealing the free marginal edge of said cover in position over said match splints, said cover having a row of perforations separating said marginal edge from the body of the cover, said marginal edge being of less widththan said cover, and representations on said match splints within said cover and concealed thereby from view until said body of said cover is separated from said marginal edge at said perforations.

HENRY T. ROBERTS. 

